Off to the races! South Coast Plaza fires up carousels after longest hiatus in 54 years

Although state reopening guidelines allowed South Coast Plaza to reopen its doors to the shopping public months ago, two iconic attractions at the Costa Mesa shopping complex, beloved by children and the young at heart, remained shuttered — until now.

It was off to the races Friday, as the center officially reopened two carousels whose animatronic equines have thrilled audiences for decades but were powered down March 17, 2020, after the longest hiatus in the center’s 54-year history.

Families with small children flocked to the two merry-go-rounds for $2 rides on a larger 20-horse and two-bench unit in the aptly named Carousel Court or a petite 10-horse, one-bench carousel at the Crate and Barrel/Macy’s Homes Store annex.

The carousel at South Coast Plaza Crate and Barrel Wing reopened Friday, June 25 after a 15-month pandemic closure.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

The larger carousel made its debut on March 15, 1967. Designed by Los Angeles-based Victor Gruen Associates, the masterminds behind the architecture of South Coast Plaza, it was so popular that a girl riding on a carousel horse became a visual symbol for the center itself through the 1970s.

A second, smaller carousel came to the complex in September of 1990 as part of a Festival of Britain being celebrated at the time. As such, English designer Chestnuts Company, Ltd. created the horses with a King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table theme, conveying attributes of the knights onto each animal.

Before the pandemic, the two rides attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. But bringing them back online was difficult while California Department of Public Health guidelines placed limits on crowds and mandated distancing.

The carousels at South Coast Plaza reopened to the riding public Friday, June 25, after a 15-month pandemic closure.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

But with restrictions on business capacities and mask-wearing among vaccinated residents having eased statewide on June 15, traffic is beginning to return to pre-pandemic levels.

South Coast Plaza spokeswoman Debra Gunn Downing said the center has seen a considerable increase in the number of visitors in recent months, and even more in recent weeks.

“We expect the number of visitors this year to meet or even exceed pre-pandemic levels,� she said by email Friday. “There’s a lot of pent-up demand for in-person experiences, whether it’s shopping at our boutiques and restaurants or riding our carousels.�

Jacques and Abigail Carrere ride the carousel at South Coast Plaza on Friday, June 25.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

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